Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are extracted for two main reasons – either they are impacted (meaning they are stuck under the gum or bone and cannot come in), or they could potentially become problematic if they are not taken out. Impacted wisdom teeth may have come in at the wrong angle or are blocked by another tooth or the jawbone. Over time, this could cause problems such as damage to other teeth, pain, infection, or even cysts.
Wisdom teeth usually appear between the ages of 16-25. If you do not have room in the back of your jaw for your wisdom teeth it can lead to pain, swelling, and difficulty opening your mouth. Even if your wisdom teeth come in at the right angle, most people do not have enough room for them. This leads to them not being cleaned effectively which results in infections and can cause pain. We would be happy to evaluate yours or your teenager’s wisdom teeth to see what your best options are.
General Extractions
Unfortunately some teeth cannot be saved and must be removed. We will always suggest saving a tooth whenever possible. You may have problems from decay or injuries or crowded teeth that mean a tooth needs to be removed. We work to ensure that you are comfortable and pain-free throughout the entire procedure.
When it is necessary to remove a tooth it is important to consider what you want to do with the empty space after the tooth is removed. If nothing is done, the jawbone will deteriorate and change shape while healing and the teeth around the area will shift. This can cause problems in your bite and your ability to eat and speak. Collagen or bone graft material can be placed in the site to speed up healing and rebuild bone as a foundation for dental implants .